Marathon

Race strategy

Run the climb at race pace, build your speed on the downhill, and go all out at the finish.

• Start easy and control your HR up to the Degollada de los Hornos pass.
• Final 2119m descent. Save your legs to go all out on it.
• Control your HR on the first mountain, and start the final descent from 13.6km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• Start · 0.0km–1.7km · Race-day nerves push your heart rate up: don't follow the crowd, find your own rhythm.
• Settle in · 1.7km–13.6km · Climb of 1043m, high point 1721m. Ease in: hold back more than feels necessary. The race is still ahead. Climb by heart rate or breathing, not pace.
• Home · 13.6km–45.6km · Descent of 2119m averaging 7%. No heroics: settle back into your own effort and hold it to the line. Very long descent: first half under control, then even, let go only near the end.

Course

By gradient, 25% of the distance is uphill, 58% downhill and 17% flat. The longest climb runs 13.6km at an average 7.7% grade (1043m of vertical). The longest descent runs 32.0km at an average 6.6% grade (2119m of vertical). The steepest climb averages 31.0% over 0.3km. The steepest descent drops at 23.0% over 0.3km.

Poles

Poles bring little benefit here: only about 5.4km of pole-friendly terrain.

Quad damage

Quad damage risk is moderate (index 33 of 100), with 50% of the load in the first half: 0 descents deserve a plan and a couple of downhill sessions before race day.

• Control your HR on the first mountain, and start the final descent from 13.6km under control, then go all out near the bottom.
• 13.6–45.6 km · 2119 m D−, -6.6% · 0.0 km ahead → even, first half under control, let go at the end